The court has requested evidence from Kannada actress Sruthi Hariharan, who contested the Karnataka Police’s B-report (closing report) in the Me Too case against prominent south Indian actor Arjun Sarja, sources said Friday.
Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park police submitted a B-report for lack of proof. The actress opposed court closure. The actress was notified by Bengaluru’s 8th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court to present proof of her charges.
At the height of the ‘Me Too’ movement in October 2018, Sruthi sent a four-page letter on her social media account about how actor Arjun Sarja allegedly sexually harassed and indecently behaved toward her during the filming of Vismaya. Sruthi starred opposite Arjun Sarja.
Karnataka Police Requested Sruthi Hariharan To Provide Me Too proof
Sruthi said that Arjun Sarja embraced and touched her back before a shoot. I was appalled. I like realistic movies, but this was incorrect. His intent was unprofessional. “I hated that he did it and was angry that I didn’t know what to say,” Sruthi said.
She added that 50 individuals witnessed it. “I wanted nothing but to stay away from him, rather than stay and be tolerant of his lewd and unprofessional behaviour,” Sruthi said. “Sarja needs to make sure how he doesn`t cross the thin line between two actors and use his position of power to cause another person discomfort,” she said.
The Karnataka film industry was roiled by the tragedy. Sruthi’s police report prevented the Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce, led by late actor and politician Ambareesh, from resolving the matter. In 2018, actor Arjun Sarja filed a Rs 5 crore defamation complaint against Sruthi Hariharan, rejecting her charges. Cyber Crime police filed a FIR against her.
